Author: Link Kabadyundi

Director, Communications and Engagement

Findhelp | 211

Months of preparation and anticipation led to an experience that exceeded expectations: the 2024 One Young World Summit in Montreal (Tiohtià:ke). As part of the United Way delegation, delegates had preparation meetings from May to August, ahead of the summit in September. The One Young World Summit unites a global community of emerging leaders from across the globe to learn from various speakers, establish new connections, and engage on plenary challenges such as artificial intelligence, the climate crisis, Indigenous voices, health equality, and peace. This year, United Way Centraide Canada and United Way Worldwide collaborated to each send 5 leaders for the United Way delegation of 10 members.

While I recently transitioned from United Way Centraide Canada to Findhelp | 211, a close partner to several United Way Centraides in Canada, I was still able to represent the United Way network, which I am grateful for. My presence at the summit enabled connections with fellow United Way and United Way Centraide delegates whom we will continue to work alongside through 211, and also provided me with the opportunity to broaden my network within United Way Worldwide, Centraide Greater Montreal, and some of our key partners, including BMO and Deloitte.

Engaging in One Young World’s plenary sessions further solidified my commitment to empower everyone to improve lives and build stronger and more resilient communities. I felt inspired by Angela Williams’ Climate Caretaker Challenge and keynote session as we are seeing an increase in climate challenges in Canada and across the world. Through the increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) worldwide, I learned about the crucial role and need for inclusive algorithms to advance racial justice in AI. A plenary session put forth the idea that we can’t have peace without prosperity, and another highlighted the role sports can play in advancing social change to instill peace and prosperity across the globe. By interacting with delegates throughout my days in Montreal, I’ve also made friends with people from different Indigenous communities and have learned from their journeys and work in advocacy as well. I also benefited from attending a session about gender-based violence, a key part of the work we do at Findhelp | 211. For me, a key highlight is that innovative thinking is required to make change happen.

What made this year’s summit truly special wasn’t solely the panels, plenaries, or high-profile speakers (though they were undoubtedly inspiring). It was the relationships I built with my fellow United Way delegates. The bond we developed went beyond networking; it was rooted in a shared commitment to driving positive change and seeing people connected and communities strengthened. Each delegate came with a unique story, but shared a united vision of being conveners, mobilizers, and change-makers to create a big and lasting impact. It has truly been a joy to not only develop relationships with my fellow United Way delegates, but to develop true friendships also.

United Way Centraide Canada and United Way Worldwide’s investment in our One Young World experience demonstrates their unwavering commitment to foster and support the next generation of leaders. As each delegate (now One Young World ambassadors) returned home further equipped with knowledge, tools, hope, and a refreshed lens on how to reach our goals, we are also looking to build upon this experience and help nurture emerging leaders in our United Way networks and through the following One Young World summits.